The eternal teenager

He's an icon of American television. Heck, he's probably be on the audiovisual medium since RCA first produced a TV. And I'm convinced nothing will stop Dick Clark except for the ever-approaching moment of death. Nothing else should.

Most people who are somewhat plugged into American pop culture know the tale. It was that stroke that was supposed to be the end of Dick Clark on TV. He'd been on the air forever, hosting his New Year's Eve special for decades as the icing on his celebrated career, seeming like someone who would have to be forced out on some executive's terms. Then the stroke came, and that was the KO. He was down for the count, and he wasn't getting up before it ended.

This year was the first time I had watched part of his special in a long time, and my reaction at the first instant I heard him was "Oh how sad." The stroke clearly affected his speech motor skills, and the sound was one that at first made you believe they were just trotting him out there because it was still called "Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve". Time to hang it up, Dick, I thought.

But they came back to him every now and again, and as the night went on, I started to realize that his physical abilities were about the only thing he lost. Mentally, the man was still there, still as lively as the man known as the eternal teenager. He could still read his cues, hold a conversation with his outdoor replacement, and live life mostly on his terms.

I guess only Death can take him away to his American Bandstand in the sky. Just as it should be.